Chapter 15 Cassius
~Cassius~
“Motherfucker!”
We watched from the shadows as Sylas swept his arm across his kitchen table, smashing beakers, test tubes, vials, and even knocking apparatus, books, and piles of notes off the surface and onto the floor, making a spectacular mess.
Ketheron turned to me. “You were correct. Our plan for today is very much needed at this specific juncture.”
“Yes. He needs a reprieve. Velra and Lazriel need some levity.”
We observed Sylas through the living room window as we stood outside his home.
I hadn’t wanted to risk interrupting his magical research if he had been verging on a breakthrough, so when Ketheron and I had teleported in we’d chosen to observe first.
Clearly, I needn’t have worried, because Sylas was flummoxed—a state he absolutely did not do well with. Unfortunately, that was worsened beyond belief with what was at stake now.
Everything.
However, since being temporarily restored by The Shadowed’s necromantic core transplant, Sylas hadn’t stopped.
Even when he’d been briefly bedridden while in the Shadow Tunnels, he’d still been conducting magical research, just without magic.
He’d also been calculating in order to hold onto control among the likes of Remnant.
“This is burnout,” Ketheron uttered, virtually speaking my own thoughts on the matter.
“Indeed.”
He frowned at me. “And the baby, you think?”
“It is a crucial factor. Of that I have no doubt.”
Sylas started pacing and yelling to himself then.
“I’m tired of it! First my sickness. Then the Dark Fae mind-meddling.
Morien and Corvin violating the laws of magic by interacting through the Valley.
That fucker resurrecting. Now him twisting necromancy in ways that go beyond violations of the balance.
Those Dark Fae he had wielding his necromantic energy will die—as they fucking should—but still…
that’s how fucked up him doing that is. It can’t be done without those consequences.
It shouldn’t be done. He tugged at his hair.
“And if that’s not enough, he’s found a way to infuse black magic and Celestial power to soup up his necromantic energy to such a level that he could pull off an extinction-level event. I mean—fuck!”
He snatched his coffee mug off the counter, then threw it against the wall, roaring as it shattered to pieces.
“I can’t locate Morien! I can’t get a lock on my core or latch onto Corvin’s magic either! All three are vital things to be able to take that motherfucker out! To stop him from launching his demented version of Risen Reckoning on the living! Fuck! Motherfucking fuck! Argh!”
Ketheron and I exchanged a look.
In the next moment, we teleported right into the kitchen.
Sylas started. “Some warning would’ve been nice.”
“So you can destroy more of the kitchen?” I queried.
“The kitchen, the living room… all of it, if needs be.”
“Now, that would be a dear shame after the trouble I went to in order to restore this home for you.”
That managed to jar him, and he blew out a breath and sank against the wall. “It would, yeah. I’m just… you know…”
“We do know,” Ketheron assured him. “You are hurting, frustrated, and afraid.”
Sylas’ eyes flashed at Ketheron’s use of that last word.
But he didn’t actually deny it. Because now that fear was for those he loved. As I’d come to learn also, that was a whole other level of terror.
“Thanks to Velra getting that intel from Sorin—the name of the leader of Puritas—it has led to a fuck-ton of leads. The Guardian Movement has taken out seven Puritas cells now. Remnant is working on those buried deeper and harder to reach as we speak, and already The Shadowed has decimated ten fucking cells. I need to be ready with this ASAP,” Sylas told us.
“You need to take a brief break. Your mind needs it,” I told him.
“I can’t just—”
“You are experiencing burnout,” Ketheron spoke. “If I do not rest my mind, I cannot solve highly complex problems either. And this problem is dearly complex. In fact, after this break that Cassius is correct in saying you need to take, I will assist you.”
“I appreciate it, K, but you’ve got enough on your plate.”
Ketheron eyed me for confirmation and I gave a nod, wherein he then informed Sylas, “Ryker and I have determined a solution to the Celestial-infused Dark Fae mind-meddling. Working with Arcanum Order, we were able to fuse the Celestial power that Ryker siphoned into the antidote for general Dark Fae mind-meddling. Ryker will disburse it across the supernatural world using the mechanism embedded into Blackline Protocol which continues on as we speak.”
I stepped forward. “Ryker has insisted on warning the supernatural populace first, though. He’ll offer everyone a choice—again, communicating through Blackline.”
“That will alert the entire supernatural world, even our enemies. The way they could react to that… it could be devastating,” Sylas warned.
“Or it could lead to them scrambling and, therefore, making mistakes,” I countered.
“Aren’t you the optimistic force today?”
“I believe you need me to be.” I gestured at the mess all over the kitchen.
“You will solve this. But you need to take a step back first. And, fortunately, there is something that Ketheron and I have come to take you to that will assist.” I looked at Ketheron.
“And you must focus on the other Celestial-related issue that you and I are seeing to. If you think you can do both, I will support that, but don’t stretch yourself too thin, or you will find yourself burned out too before you know it. ”
“Getting rid of the Celestial power that Morien has accessed from Corvin’s stores?” Sylas asked.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “There is a way to draw it away from all non-Celestial beings, but holding it permanently is the issue.”
Sylas nodded along. “Ryker can only siphon a limited amount and only temporarily. Lazriel mentioned that he saw Ryker struggling when he siphoned from that Dark Fae contingent at Halrow’s home.”
“His ability to do that can be used as a sort of key to open the door to the process, though,” Ketheron explained.
“But we need to see to the black magic aspect with this larger scale notion in play. When Ryker siphoned from those beings, he was protected with a temporary spell from his father, Gabriel Morgan, who blocked the black magic also infused in them from entering Ryker’s system.
That can’t be done on a much larger scale, like that which it will take to drain all Celestial magic that exists in the hands of our enemies.
” He growled. “Thanks to that despicable monster, Corvin.”
“Ambrose,” Sylas said. “He can function as that barrier.”
“You believe he could ingest that much black magic, block that much?” Ketheron asked.
“I’m sure of it. I’ve seen him do some crazy-ass things over the years when we’ve crossed paths.” He went stock-still. His eyes flamed. Then a devious smile played on his lips. “That’s it.”
“What is?” I asked.
“I’ll reach out to Ambrose. I may have a way to track Morien—through him.”
“Very good. Reach out. In the meantime, while we’re waiting for him to respond, you will take that break.”
He looked between us more than a little suspiciously. “What does this break you’re pushing for entail exactly?”
“A special surprise!” Ketheron exclaimed, unable to contain himself a moment longer with his excitement. I’d honestly been surprised that he’d managed to keep it in as long as he had—days since we’d been immersed in it. Ever since it had been discovered that my little shadow was with child.
Sylas’ gaze flicked to mine.
“A positive surprise that I believe you’ll take well to,” I assured him.
His gaze softened, his developed trust in me over all these months coming through. “Well, we could all do with some of that.”
Yes, we very much could.
The three of us rematerialized in the familiar ravine surrounded by weeping trees.
The converted watchtower just a few feet ahead stood tall, built into the hillside, all weathered stone and wood.
Solumira.
The home to Ariana Martel, Kai Hunter, Vorzyr Titanus, and Nyx Laryn.
“This is the surprise?” Sylas asked, looking between Ketheron and me.
“This is the gateway to the surprise,” Ketheron answered.
“The current location. For now,” I added.
I gestured for him to follow as we made our way around the picturesque home, rounding the porch steps and heading to where Nyx and Vorzyr had told us they would be with Velra and Lazriel once we’d collected Sylas.
Sure enough, they were all gathered around a fire pit.
Nyx and Velra roasted marshmallows, while Lazriel and Vorzyr were discussing what appeared to be… shifter business? Hmm… rather interesting from Lazriel’s perspective. That could definitely prove a good fit for him once he graduated from Wraeven Academy.
While they talked, Vorzyr eased a rolling bassinet back and forth, peering inside every now and then, most definitely on edge, yet trying not to demonstrate that fact.
Ketheron and I watched Sylas taking everything in, just before Lazriel spun from Vorzyr and leapt to his feet off the ornate twisted wrought-iron patio chair, and then flung his arms around Sylas.
“You’re here! I didn’t think they’d be able to drag you away—at least not without using Celestial force. ”
“I would never do such a thing,” Ketheron interjected.
Lazriel kissed Sylas’ cheek, as Sylas stroked his hair. “Just fucking around, Keth.”
Ketheron’s lips quirked. “Ah.”
Satisfied, he strode over to where Nyx and Velra were sitting on rocks around the fire pit with their backs to us. Nyx chuckled as Velra blew a wisp of frost over his marshmallow, putting it out.
“Hey, little sis! That’s it!” he cried, before leaning over and biting into her marshmallow.
“Nyx!”
“That’s what you get.”
“Eating for two here.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s it, huh?” He grabbed a bag of marshmallows beside him and handed it to her. “Have at it, then.”
She shook her head. “It’s not the same if they’re not cooked with the fire.”